TP Dogs

Report animal cruelty

Saw someone hurt, starve, or dump an animal? Tell us. Hurting animals is a crime in the Philippines, and that includes strays.

Go to the report form

What counts as animal cruelty

The Animal Welfare Act (Republic Act 8485, as amended by RA 10631) makes these acts illegal. The law protects any animal, whether it’s a pet or a stray.

  • Hurting or torturing

    Hitting, kicking, stabbing, burning, poisoning, drowning, or throwing hot water or acid on an animal.

    RA 8485 Sec. 6; IRR Rule 6.1

  • Killing without a lawful reason

    Killing an animal such as a cat or dog is illegal except in narrow cases, such as when a vet certifies it is needed to end suffering, or to stop an immediate danger to a person’s life. Even then, it must be done humanely.

    RA 8485 Sec. 6

  • Neglect

    Not giving food, clean water, shelter, or vet care to an animal in your care.

    RA 8485 Sec. 6; IRR Rules 6.3 and 6.5

  • Abandonment

    Dumping or leaving behind an animal you are responsible for, without making sure someone will care for it.

    RA 8485 Sec. 7

  • Cruel confinement

    Forcing animals into small cages or the trunk of a vehicle, or tying them up without enough shelter from sun and rain.

    RA 8485 Sec. 4; IRR Rules 4.1, 6.1 and 6.3

  • Dog and horse fights

    Organising, betting on, watching, or training animals for dogfights or horse fights.

    RA 8485 Sec. 6; IRR Rule 6.2

  • Dog meat trade

    Buying, selling, or slaughtering dogs for meat.

    RA 9482 Sec. 11; RA 8485 Sec. 6

Not an excuse

An animal that is noisy, begs for food, or chases people is not a reason to hurt it. In 2024, a barangay tanod in Camarines Sur beat a dog named Killua to death and said it had bitten people. Prosecutors still charged him, saying there are proper, lawful ways to deal with a troublesome animal. Call the barangay or the municipal vet office instead.

What offenders face

The court sets the sentence based on what happened to the animal: prison, a fine, or both.

  • The animal died1 yr 6 mos 1 day to 2 yrsFine up to ₱100,000
  • Survived, but so badly hurt it can’t live without human help1 yr 1 day to 1 yr 6 mosFine up to ₱50,000
  • Any other cruelty or neglect6 mos to 1 yrFine up to ₱30,000
  • Done by a syndicate, as a business, by a government officer or employee, or to 3 or more animals2 yrs 1 day to 3 yrsFine up to ₱250,000
  • Trading dogs for meat (Anti-Rabies Act)1 to 4 yrsFine of at least ₱5,000 per dog

Animal Welfare Act penalties are “prison and/or fine”, so a court can give either or both. Abandoning an animal where it is likely to suffer or die gets the maximum penalty. Sources: RA 8485 Sec. 7 and 9, as amended; RA 9482 Sec. 11.

People have been convicted for this

Complaints from owners, neighbours, local governments, and animal welfare groups led to these convictions. We’ve left out names; the news links have the details.

  1. 2024Baras, Rizal

    A former municipal tourism officer shot a dog because its noise annoyed him. He was sentenced to 1 year in prison and a ₱5,000 fine.

    Philstar, March 2024
  2. 2024San Ildefonso, Bulacan

    A dog meat trader caught with 4 dead and 7 live dogs was sentenced to up to 3 years in prison.

    Philstar, November 2024
  3. 2024Santa Maria, Bulacan

    An adopter who didn’t take his sick dog, Cash, to a vet was found guilty of neglect after Cash died.

    Manila Standard, January 2025
  4. 2024Angeles City, Pampanga

    Three men who slaughtered and cooked a dog were fined ₱6,000 each.

    Inquirer, February 2024
  5. 2023Cavite

    Barangay tanods caught a man stabbing a dog named Hachiko. He was sentenced to 1 year and 5 months in prison, plus a fine and damages worth ₱200,000.

    Inquirer, July 2023
  6. 2020Quezon City

    A couple did a home caesarean on a dog with a kitchen knife and scissors, without anaesthesia. The dog died. They were fined ₱36,000.

    Inquirer, October 2020

Report an incident

Your report goes only to us.

Sources

  1. Republic Act 10631 (amending RA 8485), Supreme Court E-Library
  2. The Animal Welfare Act of 1998, as amended, PAWS
  3. Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 8485, PAWS
  4. Republic Act 9482, Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, LawPhil
  5. Prosecutors indict tanod in Killua case, Rappler, June 2024
  6. Free legal assistance for animal cruelty cases, PAWS

This page is general information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026; bills for a Revised Animal Welfare Act are still pending in Congress.